The subject matter herein relates generally to receptacle assemblies configured to receive pluggable modules in a communication system.
Communication systems exist today that utilize plug and receptacle assemblies to transmit data. Network systems, servers, data centers, and the like may use plug and receptacle assemblies to interconnect the various devices of the communication system. A plug and receptacle assembly includes a cable assembly having a pluggable module and a receptacle assembly having a receptacle cage and an electrical connector disposed within the receptacle cage. The receptacle assembly is configured to receive the pluggable module and communicatively couple to the pluggable module with the electrical connector within the receptacle cage. The receptacle cage is designed to impede electromagnetic interference (EMI) leakage.
The receptacle assemblies and pluggable modules may be configured to transfer data signals in accordance with industry standards. Known industry standards for receptacle assemblies and pluggable modules include small-form factor pluggable (SFP), enhanced SFP (SFP+), quad SFP (QSFP), enhanced QSFP (QSFP+), high speed QSFP (or zQSFP), enhanced zQSFP (zQSFP+), C form-factor pluggable (CFP), and 10 Gigabit SFP, which is often referred to as XFP. The receptacle assemblies and pluggable modules may be capable of implementing one or more communication protocols. Non-limiting examples of communication protocols that may be implemented include Ethernet, Fibre Channel, InfiniBand, and Synchronous Optical Networking (SONET)/Synchronous Digital Hierarchy (SDH).
It is often necessary for developers to modify the physical design of the receptacle assembly and/or the pluggable module in order to achieve a desired data rate, certain space requirements, a desired thermal energy transfer path or level, and/or other objectives. When the physical design of the receptacle assembly changes, however, EMI leakage may develop at unpredictable locations of the receptacle assembly.
Accordingly, there is a need for an alternative receptacle assembly that effectively reduces EMI leakage.